Mining pressure sparks call for beef industry recognition

Cloncurry Mayor Andrew Daniels says mining and agriculture can co-exist so long as governments acknowledge the importance of rural industries.

A new report from the Australian Institute says the nation's rural sector is estimated to have lost $61 billion in export income since the beginning of the mining boom because mining has pushed up the value of the Australian dollar.

Councillor Daniels says mining and beef production are the two major industries in the shire and governments cannot neglect the economic importance of agriculture.

"We can co-exist but we do need some recognition from the state and federal governments that there is a beef industry that is a very substantial part of their economy out here and until they recognise that and they keep kicking them in the guts, someone will go down and it will be the beef industry of course because mining is so powerful and so wealthy at the moment," he said.